Het Bedrijf

Het Bedrijf is a performance hall and amateur theatre venue in Oostduinkerke, a district of the municipality of Koksijde on the Belgian North Sea coast. The building stands at Leopold II-laan 9a and has served for decades as a local cultural hub, best known as the home of the theatre group O.T.O. (Onafhankelijk Theater Oostduinkerke – Independent Theatre of Oostduinkerke).

Where does the name come from and what is the history of the venue?

The O.T.O. company was founded in 1995 and over the years built a strong reputation on the regional amateur theatre scene. The province of West Flanders singled out one of its productions, "Bloedbruiloft" ("Blood Wedding"), as a showcase example of what provincial amateur theatre could achieve. The group's repertoire also included other productions such as "IJsland, IJsland" and "Het Publiek". The hall's name, Het Bedrijf – literally "The Company" or "The Enterprise" – refers to the theatre group itself and the artistic work carried out there.

What else took place at Het Bedrijf besides theatre performances?

Beyond its own annual theatre production, O.T.O. ran a broader stage programme at the venue for 27 years, hosting guest performances by other groups and artists. Starting in 2011, the offering expanded to include intimate music evenings known as the "Café Foyer concertjes" – small-scale concerts held in the venue's café/foyer area.

Is the artistic programme at Het Bedrijf still running today?

After 27 years of operation, the hall no longer met the legal safety and building standards required, and the non-profit organisation (vzw) running the theatre could not afford the cost of bringing it up to code. As a result, the broader stage programme — the regular guest performances by outside groups — came to an end. This does not mean cultural life at the venue has stopped entirely: the Café Foyer concerts continue to be held at Het Bedrijf, preserving at least part of the building's original role as a local cultural venue.

Who is this place for?

Het Bedrijf is of interest mainly to visitors curious about local culture and the history of amateur theatre on the Belgian coast. It is not a large, commercially oriented cultural institution aimed at mass tourism, but rather a modest, community-driven venue, built up through volunteer effort over nearly three decades. Visitors to Oostduinkerke looking for something beyond the beach and dunes can check the current schedule of Café Foyer evenings if they want to experience this quieter, local side of the town.

Frequently asked questions

What is O.T.O.? It stands for Onafhankelijk Theater Oostduinkerke, an amateur theatre company founded in 1995 that operates out of the Het Bedrijf hall.

Are events still held at Het Bedrijf today? Yes. While the broader stage programme ended because the hall no longer met legal standards, the intimate Café Foyer concerts still take place there.

Where exactly is Het Bedrijf located? At Leopold II-laan 9a in Oostduinkerke, part of the municipality of Koksijde.

What productions has the O.T.O. company staged? Among others, "Bloedbruiloft", recognised by the province of West Flanders as an exemplary amateur theatre production, as well as "IJsland, IJsland" and "Het Publiek".